The Bestest Birthday Ever
by Insert a Catchy Penname Here
Summary: The Samurai are detirmed to make their leader's birthday the best he's ever had. This can be a bit tricky, though, when that's exactly the thing he doesn't like thinking about at all.
1. Happy?

The Bestest Birthday Ever

Author Note: This story is a request from Estrellagirl101, and I hope everyone loves it! OH! And this is going to have a unknown number of chapters in it, so...review and love it! :D

**Jayden's P. O. V. **

When I woke up, I was greeted by Wesley grinning and staring at me. Raising an eyebrow, I inched away and got human in the bathroom. I glanced at the date: Semptember 8th. Shrugging, I pulled on my favorite red shirt Emily had sewn for me and trotted into the kitchen. I was pretty surprised when Mia greeted me with breakfast, a bowl of ceral and toast. Kevin was with her, so I decided it was safe to eat. It was heavenly, though this niceness kind of suprised me. They were smiling and staring just as much as Wesley had.

"Thanks, guys," I told them, trying not to rush out to training. Antonio stopped sparring with Mike to grin at me, and I backed up. This day was already creepy enough without the fact that they'd gotten me a new training sword.

I was pretty relived with Emily came up to me, smiling like always, but not staring creepily. Smiling back at my girlfriend, I started to sparr with her. About half an hour later, she slammed into my ribs with her stick. Feeling the pain, I crumbled, and she held the tip to my sweaty throat. Moments later, she had taken my hand and hefted me to my feet once more.

"Nice job, Em," I complented her, and she blushed lightly.

"Hey, can we go get a drink of water?" she fanned the cool air before her red face.

"I don't see why not," setting our sticks down, we trotted inside.

When I opened the cabniets for the cups, she swooped in front of me and took them, closing the doors before I could move. In a flash, she had filled up the glasses and handed me the colder one. Trying to think of it as a simple kindness effort, I thanked her and took a sip. The drink moisted my cracking lips, and she seemed satisfied as she drank from hers. When the water had vanished, I started to put it up.

"Here, let me," she reached for the red glass, but I held it away from her.

"I've got it, Em," I assured my girlfriend, "here, I'll get yours." But when I reached for her yellow container, she swung around, heels sliding on he floor, and grabbed mine instead.

"I understand your trying to be nice," I told the blonde, "but you don't have to do everything for me."

But when she opened the door for me and refused to let me train, I knew she'd ignored me. So, I did the same and started whacking on the dummies. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her whispering to Mia and Antonio nearby. Seconds later, my childhood friend was holding my sword in one hand and Mia was dragging me into the meeting room.

"What in the world?" I demanded to the Pink Ranger as she handed me my regular clothes.

"Mentor told us we had a day off," she replied, "now, go change."

"Yes, Jayden," Ji appeared in the room with us, "I decided you Rangers needed a break."

Now Ji was acting all smily and odd. Shaking my brown-blonde hair, I changed back into regular clothes and met the team in the meeting room.

"So...where to?" I asked.

"Your choice," Mike told me.

Shrugging, I suggested, "Rainbow's End."

"Perfect!" Emily grabbed my hand and dragging me in lead, "come on!" She laughed happily, and I smiled. I knew the rangers liked Rainbow's End, and this would be a treat for them being so suddenly nice.

That plan went to pot when they insisted on buying me my armband and food. Sighing, I took Emily's wrists when she was pleading for me to let her win me a red stuffed bear.

"Em, why are you guys being so gengourus?" I asked, "I apprecaite it, but being leader doesn't mean you have to give me special treatment."

"But today is the one day when we have to," my girlfriend smiled.

I stared at her, not getting it.

"Come on!" Mia put her hands on her hips, "you seriously forgot?" They stared at me, looking shocked.

"Forget?" I didn't understand at all.

Rolling her eyes, Emily counted off from three on her fingers at the others. When she got to one, they all leapt out to surrond me in a group hug.

What they yelled made me freeze.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAYDEN!"


	2. What's wrong?

The Bestest Birthday Ever 2

**Emily's P. O. V. **

Jayden's reaction surprised me, alright. Instead of grinning or thanking us, he turned sharply away and started to head away. Blinking back my questions, I rushed up to my boyfriend.

"What's wrong?" I inquired.

"I don't like my birthday," he mumbled, looking angry, "it brings back pretty unpleasent memories."

Curiosity washed over me like a wave. It pained me to see him so angry on his birthday, the happiest day ever. In his blue eyes I saw sadness and a hint of moisture, and I felt pity.

"What happened?" I asked softly, signaling behind my back for the others to stay back.

He didn't look like he wanted to tell me. Shaking his head, he strode off quickly. His legs were longer, so it wasn't fair he could move faster. That guy left me in the dust, disappearing in the crowd.

"What was _that_?" Antonio demanded as the others rushed up.

"He said something about unpleasent memories," I shrugged, "ideas, anyone?"

"Maybe we could ask mentor," Mia suggested, and we all agreed.

"But what about Jayden?" I asked, worried for my mate.

"Wesley and Emily, you go find him," Kevin took charge, "Mia, Antonio, and I will go ask Mentor."

"What about Mike?" I asked, confused for him leaving out my big brother figure.

"I think he's pretty good," we all looked at Mike, who was inhaling pizza.

"Right," Mia agreed, "come on!"

We parted ways, Wesley and I diving into the crowd. He took my hand, since I kept sliding on dirt and rocks, people knocking me around. I grinned up thanfully at him, and we started searching intently. Soon, I saw him, sitting on a bench near the exit, head bowed. We two scurried over through the crowd to him, me sitting beside him.

"Jayden, what happened?" I asked, out of breath.

"I don't want to talk about it," he didn't lift his head, "just go have fun."

"We're can't unless you are," Wesley sat on his other side, "dude, what is so bad about your birthday?"

He refused to look at us and stayed silent. Then I noticed how he was trembling, sniffing and whimpering softly.

"Come here," I urged him, opening up my arms.

Our fearless Red Ranger looked at me with watery eyes. Nodding and blinking quickly, he wrapped his arms around me. We just sat there, him weeping softly against me. I put my face in his and began to cry, hating to see him cry. I felt two strong arms around my other side and a sigh, mumurs of comfort into my curls.

Wesley was sure helpful when it came to comfort.

When Jay stopped crying and had soaked my yellow blouse, we all broke away from each other. Looking ashamed, our leader wiped his face with his own shirt and blushed deep.

"I'm sorry," he sniffed sadly, "I made your blouse wet. I'm a weakling."

"You are not," I wrapped my arms around his neck, "it's okay to cry, Jayden."

"But..."

"Not buts, dude," Wesley cut him off, "I have seen you cry a lot. Everyone cries if they breath. That's how our life happened. And so if it helped you live, it must be okay."

"Good point," the Fire Samurai agreed, "but sorry about the shirt."

"I don't care about the shirt," I took his hands, "I care about you. Please." I put on my famous puppy dog eyes.

Slowly nodding, a sigh escaping his lips, he started to tell us the story that broke my heart in two.

**Mia's P. O. V. **

Kevin, Antonio, and I all skidded to a stop at The Shiba House. We were greeted when we entered by Mentor doing a yoga video. When he noticed us, he put it on pause and got up from the downward facing dog pose. My eyes were forever burned, but I spoke up.

"Mentor, do have any idea of why Jayden doesn't like his birthday?" I asked.

His black eyes turned a little misty, "He hasn't told you?" When we shook our heads, he sighed, "It doesn't really surprise me. He's always hated to talk about it."

"About what?" Antonio sat on a chair, and Kevin and I followed in his example. If Antonio and Wesley didn't even know, it must have been pretty important.

The old man then told us the heartbreaking tale, "Jayden used to have a little sister."

"He did?" Antonio choked on his own breath.

"Used to," Mentor went on with the story, "her name was Anna Maria. We called her Maria, and she was the sweetest little girl in the world. She was a lot like Emily, always bubbly and the glue. Her smile lite up the room, and she was born on his birthday. Jayden adored her, and looked after her like a very senstive big brother. She had coco curls and big eyes just like his. He never told you about it, Antonio, because he didn't want anyone to hurt her. He knew you had Samurai blood in you, and...well, your not exactly graceful on you feet."

I was trying not to laugh as he blushed red.

"What about Wesley?" Kevin asked.

"He knew Wesley wasn't one for girls," Ji shrugged, "she stayed at home, since he was training to be Red Ranger. When she visited, it was when Wesley was sent out with me, but I knew Jayden was thrilled and happy. The pleasure she gave him was something not even Wesley could give him. He loved her, alright."

"What happened to Anna Maria?" I asked softly.

"Well, when Jayden was nine and she was seven," Mentor's eyes were far away, as if he was reliving it, "they were celebrating their birthdays. Then, a Nilock attacked them as Master X was rerising. He took Anna Maria, and Jayden blamed himself for being too late. He's never seen her since. And ever since that day, he's never liked to think about his birthday."

"Poor Jayden," I was weeping in Kevin's arms.

"I can understand his pain," Antonio muttered, "I'd hate thinking about my birthday if that happened."

"We can't let him stay miserable," Kevin declared.

"Right," I agreed, wiping a final tear, "come on, guys."

**Emily's P. O. V. **

When he finished the story, I was crying with him. Wesley was blinking back moisture, both of our hearts breaking. Our leader stared at his shoes.

"I'm so sorry, Jayden," I choked up, "I never knew..."

"I just need to be alone," he stood up, gaze still low, "thanks for trying." He strode out of the gates.

"Poor Jayden," Wesley's eyes were full of pity.

"You heard?" Mia's voice made us look up at the others.

"Yeah," I wiped out the rest of my tears, "we've got to cheer him up."

"Agreed," Kevin nodded, "we've got a plan."

When I heard it, I grinned up at them, declaring, "This is going to be the bestest birthday for him EVER!"


	3. Complete

The Bestest Birthday Ever 3

Author Note: Sadly, ending chapter. BUT ENJOY!

Jayden let his Loin Zord absently roar beside him, nudged him. He wanted to exirserse, and it was pretty apparent that he didn't like seeing its owner so distraught. But the coco blonde male was in no mood to play or smile or anything. The pain of losing her shining face replayed in his mind. The cold air wrapping around them, the laughter she did, him holding her little hand...

_The early fall hair tustled her brown curls as he blue eyes shined just like the appearing stars, twinkling shyly against the setting twilight. She pulled her brother's hand and begging, putting on her famous puppy dog eyes. _

_"Can we please, please, please get a ballon!" she begged. _

_"I don't know..." he knew they didn't have much money after the ten thousand pounds of cotton candy he'd gotten for them, armbands, the games... _

_"Please?" her lower lip trembled as she gazed up at her sibling. _

_"Okay," his heart melted down through his body, "what color?" _

_Suddenly, the shadows shifted. _

_"Jay Jay!" she tugged on his red shirt, demanding his attention, "balloon!" _

_"Okay, Anna Maria," he tried to forget the shadows as he dished out five bucks for a pink ballon. When he turned, she wasn't there, "Anna Marie?" _

_He was fratic, clutching the ballon as he searched for his sister, calling her name. His heart just about stopped beating when he saw her caught in the shadows, screaming. A shadowy Nilock loomed over her. _

_"Let go!" she wailed, then saw her bro, "Jay Jay!" _

_He yanked out the morpher he carried everywhere, but it was too late. In a scream of terror, she was engulphed in darkness. Screaming, younger Jayden tried to grab her tiny hand. But the Nilock grabbed his neck and threw him into the trash. The future Red Ranger watched in horror as his sister was gone. He let go of the little ballon, and it seemed at that moment it was taking all his happiness with it. _

The present day Jayden ran his fingers through his hair.

_You're fault, _a tiny voice chanted in his head, _you're fault, you're fault, you're fault! _

"I know," he moaned, at that voice's mercy, "I know...I know...it's my fault...it's all my fault..."

Suddenly, something wrapped around his waist. He looked down in alarm to see blonde curls against his chest.

"Emily?" he questioned, "why are you here?"

Then he noticed her trembling. Tittling up her chin, he saw tears streaming down her red cheeks.

"What happened?" he didn't want anyone else to be in pain. Today was the day that only he should be misirble, and too see the life and spirit distraught about killed him.

"I...I can't get on the ri-rides because I'm not t-tell enough," she sputtered, "a-and the others went o-on with-without m-me!" She let out a heartache wail.

"Shhh," he rocked his girlfriend strong, "shhhh shhhhh shhhh shhhh. Calm down, it's alright, calm down...shhhh..." Finally, she was calm again.

He kept smiling like everything WAS okay as he cleaned up her face and combed those beautiful blonde locks. Brushing her bangs out of her hazels, he squeezed her hands.

"We'll do whatever you want now," he promised, "anything."

"Really?" she whispered, "but it's your..."

"You come first," his heart throbbed a little in rememberence of how Anna Maria used to be his first in everything.

She nustled his jaw affectionaitly before leading him outside the gates of Rainbow's End. The gravel crunched before their tennis shoes tapped on the concrete, finally rustling up the leaves of the forest. She finally stopped in front of a large tree, looking mighty and tall in front of them. She sat in the shade, patting the grass by her. The male plopped beside her, and she pulled out her flute and reached behind a tree.

"I got you this," she had a soft voice as she pulled out a large case, "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks," it meant a lot to him for her to at least try, so he ignored the grieve churning in his chest. He opened it to see a shiny acustic guitar, begging to be strummed.

He smiled when he saw her holding her flute, all ready to be played. Putting the guitar in his lap, he started to play a tune. Grinning happily, she started to play a slow Japanse sounding tune on her flute.

"Sing whatever," she instructed him.

So they started to sing their favorite songs and laughing at their attempts at matching the music of the real song. By the time the sun starting to set a tiny bit, they were sore from laughter.

"Thanks, Jay," she kissed him as he leaned in.

"No problem, kid," he grinned, "now, let's get these back to The Shiba House. The others are probably wondering where we are."

"It is likely," she agreed, boosting herself up with her free hand. The couple walked, holding their free hands in each other's.

Suddenly, something yanked at Emily's ankle. Her hand slipped from his, and he screamed as she went into a shadow. He grabbed her wrists and pulled hard, trying to free her.

"Don't let go!" she wailed.

"Not a chance," the night replayed in his head, which gave him the detirmanation to not loose the one thing that kept him going.

Suddenly, his ankles slid. The coco blonde was yanked in with her. The two fell into inky black darkness, and he groaned as he landed on his left shoulder. They tumbled down something steep before finally haulting against each other, moaning, now sore. Suddenly, a Nilock emerged from the shadows in the pitch blackness. Evil demon blue and red eyes stared holes into them, and then flames curled around them in a circle. The beast seemed to made entirley of shadows.

"Red Ranger," he snarled, foam dripping off his mouth, "looking for someone?" He cackled evilly as he unveiling his robe. But instead of his nudeness, he saw a girl rumbled out from another set of clothes.

She had tangled brown curls. Her icy blue eyes were wide with fear, and she looked undernourished and beat up quite a bit. She shivered against the cool air and mostly in fear. She retreated away from the monster, who was laughing. She was wearing a robe made of skin and itchy fur, and she looked horrified.

"You weren't wise to follow her," she shivered, "he tortures girls until we die. The girl that means the most to a guy. I am the only surrivor."

"Only because I wanted them both," the beast's hand clamped around the girls' hair, "now you, Red Ranger, get to see them both perish!"

"R-Re-Red Ranger?" the girl whispered, "who...what...what is your name?"

"I'm Jayden," he replied, feeling like he could trust her, "Jayden Shiba."

"Jayden?" her eyes were moons, "I..." She started to sob. He held her in comfort as Emily curled against him, both of them trying to escape the Nilock's reach.

"Who are you, then?" he felt warm holding her like when he held Emily.

"Anna Maria," she sniffed, smiling weakly, "Anna Maria Shiba. You don't remember me?"

"Anna Maria?" he gasped, "I-I-I th-thought I lost you..."

"Well, you're about to!" the beast grabbed them back, "time to perish!" He threw the two into the dark, and flames engulphed them.

Their screams rang out, but before Jayden could rush in, he felt bonded tighten around his ankles and wrists. He was yanked and banged against the wall, and he watched in horror as the two girls he loved were out of his vison. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do. Her moved his hip in a long, swinging motion, catching his freed Samuraizer in his teeth. Pressing down on a button, he made a symbol, praying it'd work.

Suddenly, the fire surronded them parted into three parts. They were holding each other tight, weeping, but looked up with wide eyes at him when the heat vanished. The fire slammed into the Nilock, and he screamed as it ungulphed him. In a burst of white and blue, he was gone.

"Forever," he growled, "I'll make sure of it."

His bonds freed, the Fire Samurai ran to the two. They ran into his arms, weeping and trembling.

"Thank you," Emily kissed him, "I knew it'd work! I knew it!"

"What?" he inquired.

"The others tracked the Nilock," she explained, "we didn't know that we'd be...we were just going to let him attack out you to save Maria."

"You...never forgot," Anna Maria held him tight, "I love you Jay Jay, you saved me!"

His heart melted as he held his baby sister tight. She was safe, alive, in his arms.

"Happy Birthday," he smiled weakly.

XXXXXX

Over the next week, Anna Maria bounced back in recovery. Thanks to the symbols of power from the very kind Samurai team, she was soon good as knew. She was up to Jayden's shoulder, and she was a very pretty teenage girl. She looked a lot like her brother, and he felt on air with her.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "I wish you could stay."

"I need to accompany our Mom," she smiled weakly, "but we'll meet soon. Back to the normal visit, huh?"

"Deal," he embraced her, "stay safe."

"Promise," she kissed his cheek before vanishing into the twilight.

"She means a lot to you," Emily commented a little while later.

"I can't tell you how much I missed her," he held his girlfriend,"and you...I couldn't bear losing you, too."

She felt her heart race as he held her close.

"I love you," he mumbled.

"I love you, too," she kissed him, "so...about your birthday?"

"The bestewst one ever," he assured happily, smiling for the first time in a while out a full heart.

Author Note: Authors Together, ORANGE FOREVER! :D


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